In one of the biggest exercises of its kind, the State government transferred a large number of police officers with immediate effect.
More than 600 officers, including deputy superintendents of police (DySPs)/assistant commissioners of police (ACPs) and inspectors, were transferred Wednesday midnight.
The last time a large number of police officers were transferred in one go was in 2006 when H D Kumaraswamy was the chief minister. Then, about 530 superintendents of police (SPs) and inspectors were given the transfer orders. In all, 498 inspectors and 135 DySPs/ACPs have been transferred. Seventy-five of the transfers have taken place in Bangalore.
The latest exercise had been in the offing for the last two weeks and the list was finally announced around midnight. But not before the officials lobbied extensively and used their political clout to get the places of their choice and preference, sources said.
So much so that the top brass had to postpone the announcement, owing to intense pressure from various quarters to post some officers to specific stations and areas.
Besides, a majority of senior officers, who were expecting promotions, wanted to stay back in Bangalore. They used all means to pressurise the higher-ups, sources in the office of the DG&IGP explained.
High drama was witnessed in the State police headquarters on Nrupathunga Road here in the evening as the top brass, unable to handle the pressure, kept postponing the announcement.
According to sources, Congress MLAs from Bangalore wanted their “blue-eyed boys” for a select few stations. They pressed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Home Minister K J George. A lot of “money changed hands” for placements in the City. Many DySPs/ACPs and inspectors, who were close to the BJP government, have been transferred to less significant stations and police sub divisions, sources added.
Some of the Congress MLAs who were upset with Siddaramaiah reportedly lodged a complaint with the party’s State chief, G Parameshwara, on Thursday. They urged him to intervene in the matter and sought his help in getting their “works done in the government”.
The reported meeting took place hours after the Home department announced the mass transfers. The MLAs, who refused to be quoted, claimed the government had rejected recommendations of most of the party legislators on the transfer.